A total of $100 million will be allocated to convert subsidised elderly home places into long-term care places in phases.

The Health, Welfare & Food Bureau today said it will also implement a trial scheme to provide subsidised infirmary care services for medically stable infirm elders in a non-hospital setting.

New resources are being identified to provide additional community support services for people with disabilities and targeted programmes to tackle domestic violence and family problems.

Recognising the difficulties faced by non-governmental organisations, the bureau promised to identify new resources to improve welfare services despite the efficiency savings.

Lenient savings plan adopted

In coming up with the efficiency savings for 2005-06, the bureau has carefully taken into consideration the concerns of the welfare sector as well as the financial position of various areas under its policy portfolios.

A lenient saving plan has been adopted, the bureau said. Apart from the proposed across-the-board saving of 1%, small non-governmental organisations with annual recurrent subvention below $3 million are exempted.

Should individual organisations have genuine difficulties in meeting the target savings, the Social Welfare Department will assess the situation and render any needed assistance.

Government subventions to non-governmental organisations have grown from $4.53 billion in 1997-98 to $6.74 billion in the current financial year, up 49%.

In the current financial year, $678 million was also earmarked for hire of services and another $199 million for extension of temporary jobs under non-governmental organisations.